Planning Commission Staff Report
Report Prepared by: Valeria Renteria, Associate Planner, Development Services Department
Title
SUBJECT: Conditional Use Permit #1281, initiated by Moe Jawad, property owner. The application involves a request to establish a mobile food vendor plaza for up to ten mobile food vendors with on-site seating for customers. The project consists of three parcels that total 0.68 acres or 30,000 square feet. The subject site is generally located on the northeast corner of West 16th Street and Martin Luther King Jr Way. The site has a General Plan designation of Regional/Central Commercial (CC) and is zoned Central Commercial (C-C). **PUBLIC HEARING**
ACTION: 1) Approve/Disapprove/Modify
2) Environmental Review #24-24 (Categorical Exemption)
3) Conditional Use Permit #1281
SUMMARY
Moe Jawad is requesting conditional use permit approval to establish a food truck parking area to allow up to ten food truck vendors and outdoor seating located at the northeast corner of West 16th and Martin Luther King Jr Way (231 and 245 W 16th Street and 1616 Martin Luther King Jr. Way). Mobile food vendor parking areas are considered a conditional use within a Central Commercial (C-C) Zone. The proposed parking area spans across multiple lots. The Planning Commission will be reviewing this proposal to ensure that the provided site plan is designed in a manner that minimizes negative impacts to the existing site and promotes compatible and orderly development. Staff is recommending approval with conditions.
RECOMMENDATION
Planning staff recommends that the Planning Commission approve Environmental Review #24-24 (Categorical Exemption) and Conditional Use Permit #1281 (including the adoption of the Draft Resolution at Attachment A) subject to the conditions in Exhibit A and the findings/considerations in Exhibit B of the Draft Resolution.
Body
DISCUSSION
Project Description
The applicant is proposing to establish a temporary food truck parking area (for no more than 2 years) to allow multiple food truck vendors and outdoor seating. The food trucks would be parked on the two parcels closer to Martin Luther King Jr. Way, in a square shape. The proposed site plan includes customer parking to be added at the most north portion of the project site. The space reserved for the food truck vendors is to be positioned in a way that does not interfere with the circulation of the parking lot (Attachment C). The applicant proposes about 12 picnic tables (about 96 seating spaces) to be in the center of where the food trucks would be parked. The parking lot shall be designed in a manner that satisfies Engineering Standards and does not block any driving aisles or fire lanes (Condition #19 of Staff Report #24-921). The applicant proposes to use the restrooms located inside the existing building in the southeastern corner of the project site. The sale of alcohol by any food truck is prohibited (Condition #24 of Staff Report #24-921). Hours of operation shall comply with Merced Municipal Code Section 20.44.020 (C) unless modified with this approval (Condition #10 of Staff Report #24-921) The applicant has requested for the Planning Commission to consider their proposed hours of operation of 7 days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m.
Surrounding uses
|
Surrounding Land |
Existing Use of Land |
City Zoning Designation |
City General Plan Land Use Designation |
|
North |
Commercial |
Central Commercial (C-C) |
Regional/Central Commercial (CC) |
|
South |
Vacant Commercial Building |
General Commercial (C-G) |
General Commercial (CG) |
|
East |
Vacant Commercial Buildings |
Central Commercial (C-C) |
Regional/Central Commercial (CC) |
|
West |
Vacant Lot and Mattress Store |
Central Commercial (C-C) |
Regional/Central Commercial (CC) |
Background
Food truck parking areas are considered a fairly new land use option in Merced. In 2016, the City of Merced conducted a comprehensive amendment to the Zoning Ordinance for the first time in over 50 years. The revised Zoning Ordinance now allows food truck parking areas with a conditional use permit within most commercial and industrial zones. The Zoning Ordinance Focus Group modeled the food truck parking area concept after examples found throughout the Central Valley in communities like Modesto and Fresno. Food truck parking areas differ from the City’s traditional food truck projects, as they allow for multiple food truck vendors with outdoor seating on one parcel. In June 2018, the Planning Commission approved the City’s first food truck parking area located at 825 W. Main Street and a second one was just approved on Highway 59 in September 2024.
Findings/Considerations
Please refer to Exhibit B of the Draft Planning Commission Resolution at Attachment A.
ATTACHMENTS
A. Draft Planning Commission Resolution #4142
B. Location Map
C. Site Plan
D. Water Quality Control Division Best Management Practices Brochure
E. Fire Department Food Safety Fact Sheet
F. Categorical Exemption
G. Presentation